


A tail of Dan and Phil

by magical_octopus333



Category: Dan and Phil youtube
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-03
Updated: 2015-10-03
Packaged: 2018-04-24 14:36:41
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 15,130
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4923394
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/magical_octopus333/pseuds/magical_octopus333
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>They were spending their holidays away from home when Dan meets Phil on the beach, wrapped head to tail in a fisher's net... Mermaid AU, in which if a merman/mermaid 's tail dries on land, their tails turn to legs.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. A Strange meeting and a day out

**Author's Note:**

> PBB 2015 fic 172. Thanks to my beta howellester, whose Halloween username is spookslesters (http://spooklesters.tumblr.com/) and the Phandom Big Bang for allowing me to make this fic, it has been a cool experience.  
> Also, there is art for this fic by the amazing phanbeans (link below)  
> http://phanbeans.tumblr.com/post/130448310576/phandom-big-bang-2015-my-art-for-magical-octopus  
> Hope you enjoy the story and leave comments and such below..

Phil :

I thought it was going to be just an ordinary day, 

I was collecting seashells as usual and thinking about my plans for later...

when I got caught. This wasn’t the first time either. Probably like my fifth time 

this month

okay, I get caught in fishnets a lot, but usually not nearly as much as i have this month and it’s not even halfway over! It’s not like I do it deliberately either, I have bad eyesight so I didn’t see the nets until it’s too late. I’m not the only one with this problem, my friend Tyler has bad eyesight too, but he usually stays with those that can actually see, unlike me. I’ve always been a bit different, but that’s not the point. 

Usually it’s because of lazy fishermen dropping old fishnets that mer-people got caught, and I’d cut myself out with my cutters, which the ‘hoo-mains’ call scissors, but they broke.

All had been well in the sea since I’ve mostly been at school (yes, mer-people do have school, like ‘hoo-mains’ do and they aren’t that different in comparison.) except for some parts like bad kids and homework, but at least I could avoid the nets and just do my own thing once i finished my work. But now it’s summer vacation and my friends and I are spending it close to this beach island. 

It’s really cool with a lot of really cool shells. I’ve been picking up my favorites, and that's how I got caught. At least this time it caught me by the end of my tail instead of my fringe like last time (which really hurt and left me without a chunk of black hair.) Although it’s grown back now, so there’s no need to worry.

Anyway, I had bent down to inspect a cool black shell with a jagged edge when the net caught my tail in a scooping motion and pulled me up along with a school of fish, all writhing against the huge net. It caught my tail’s edge and I was flailing while the net kept pulling which hurt quite a bit. We were getting closer to the surface so I started to swim against the net's pull, which was rather difficult with my tail, but the fish somehow understood what I was doing and followed suit. I could hear a loud bell ringing from the surface and I was terrified; I didn't want to become canned fish food! 

I was going as fast and as hard as I could and the fish were moving with me so the rope strained and broke. Just like that, all of the fish rammed themselves at the hole trying to escape, and loud cries issued from above water as the net was dropped. The fish spilled out and right before my eyes they flurried, an array of beautiful colors in my view when the net jerked again. I looked back to see the boat's rotors spinning and the net caught on. Suddenly, the net yanked away from the whirlpool of fish and I was getting pulled along and whipped around. 

They taught this at school, that when you get stuck in a net, you swim away and the fish would usually follow suit like they did, but getting out of this wasn’t taught. It rarely happened that the net would get stuck, but just because the teachers didn't teach this doesn't mean I didn't learn. 

Cruel pranks as a child taught me more than a school ever could. 

I curled my arms in close to my body as the net wrapped up around me, holding my bag against my chest. I squinted ahead to where the ship was heading, and they were going to the shore. I brought my hand into my bag and dug for the shell I found earlier and drew it out. With all my strength, I bent forward and slashed repeatedly at the rope dragging me through a hole in the net. With one strong swipe, the rope cut and I was sent flying in the sand then  bam , I hit my head on the edge of a rock and my vision went black.

As I lost consciousness, I felt my body still floating towards the shore.

Next thing I know, I'm awake on the beach, still wrapped in the rope net with my right arm in the one hole, and the shore pushing me back farther. The sun was right above my head and I was starting to dry. If I dried, I'd be with legs, tied up nude and alone on the beach. If I didn't dry and someone saw me, I could be turned in by the hoo-mains and then they'd do experiments on me or make me into fish food! I didn't want to be in a can, I'm claustrophobic! 

So I struggled with all my might and tried pulling at the rope with my free arm, but it didn't work well. I drew my arm back in and squirmed for my bag to see if I had any other sharp shells to help but I couldn’t find any. Then I realized the net shifted and I was stuck with no plan to escape and I panicked. I could feel the saltwater slipping down my cheeks as I wiggled against the rope but it hurt, the scratching along my torso as it loosened bit by bit but one part tightened against my back and I yelped. I kept struggling but then I heard a voice talking to me 

“Oh my god, are you alright?

Dan

It was the third day of summer vacation on this weird island with my family when something interesting finally happened. 

I wasn't planning on meeting anyone that day. I didn't even know that we were even doing anything for the break! My parents didn't tell me anything, it was just straight from school to the airport. My mum had packed my bag with all my colorful clothing, but since I had mostly black clothing some of that got packed too. And my laptop which is still charging right now because 

'oops! I must have turned it on by accident, Daniel, forcing you to actually participate irl!' 

If you hadn't guessed, yes that was an impersonation of the brilliance that dragged me away from air conditioning and Wi-Fi for two weeks on this weird island. 

Today, while they were out, I decided to go out, walk the beach with my freaking hobbit hair flopping about as I had no straighteners, and my backpack with my notebook in case I become inspired or something. I was just walking when I heard farther down the beach a loud yelp from around some large rocks. It sounded like they needed help so I ran and saw this man sitting topless wrapped in a rope net squirming. 

“Oh my god, are you alright?” I ask as I move towards him. He goes still for a moment before small shaking roll through him as he looks at me with eyes wide and terrified, the color of a sea in storm. I looked at him and that's when I saw his deep blue tail below his pale torso. 

“Please don't make me into tuna, hoo-maine” the man whispered, his voice tight. 

“I won't, I swear I'm not going to hurt you. I should have something to help cut you out... may I?” I ask tentatively. The man...merman nods quickly as some of the tension leaves him. He looks exhausted and still scared but he forces a small smile to his pink lips. I kneel to his right as I pull out my book bag and rifle around for scissors, eventually finding a black pair. I pull them out and bring them to the net. The merman sucks in a breath and I look up. 

“I'm just going to cut the net... here...” I hand him the scissors slowly through a large hole in the net. 

“Sorry for being jumpy... I've never met a hoo-maine before... “ the merman told me with a slight northern draw. I go back to looking for another pair so I could help, as I talk on. 

“Probably for the best. A lot of them are jerks, as it seems. So many jerks and idiots and just not good people... but there are some great, wonderful people out there. They're just harder to find. I'm just boring, but I won't hurt you. My names Dan, by the way... oh here I found some- pink? Why do I have... probably some kid from school found it funny...” he looked up in confusion as I twirled the bright pink scissors from my bag. 

“Hoo-maines go to school too?” the merman asked, tilting his head to the left. I leaned forward and started working at the rope as I reply, 

“Sadly, we do, except right now we are on summer break and my parents brought me to this weird island. I think I'll explore more later...do you guys get homework, too?” the merman nodded grimly as he looked back to cutting rope. 

“I'm Phil, by the way, Philip Michael Lester.” the merman, Phil, murmured under his breath, barely loud, but I caught it. 

“Do hoo-maines have last name or surnames, or do only my kind do that?” Phil asked curiously. 

“Oh, yeah we do, I just didn't say it all because...-” 

“What?” Phil asked, looking up at my blushing face.  Telling someone that you got distracted by how hot they are is usually considered a bit strange, so there’s no way I’m telling him that. 

“I was just a bit distracted... looking for scissors, yeah... Daniel James Howell is the name, just don't write that in any black notebooks, alright?” I reply, laughing slightly. I look up and Phil looks so bloody confused but in a happy way. 

“What? Black notebook?” 

“Sorry, its a reference to an anime- don't worry, it's a joke.” I answer, smiling as I work on the rope again.

 

Phil:

So Dan and I worked at the rope with Dan smiling and his dimple was showing. I couldn't help myself and blurt “Dimples are real?” Dan starts laughing and his dimple deepens as his lips stretch to a grin 

“What a strange thing to say, Philip Lester.” Dan replies with a cheeky grin that sends tiny fish a flutter in my stomach (it's a saying) “But yeah, I've had it since I was young. Kids would ask why I had a hole in my cheek and poke it... they thought it was stupid...” Dan looks back down, his smile fading out as his dimple flattens. 

“I like it” I say and Dan's head swishes back up. He looks stunned with a bewildered smile slipped on his lips and that’s when I realized; this guy was beautiful. I could feel my face heat up, though I tried to fight it. “It makes you unique, and it's not normal. Normalness leads to sadness, I think.” I reply, looking back down at the rope and cut more until it snaps and I couldn't help but feel a bit more excited. 

“Thanks Phil...” Dan says as he works more on the rope. 

“You're welcome, Dan...”

We worked on the net and it took a while, but we eventually cut open a large hole and I got excited. I pushed my head through the hole but it caught at my shoulders. “no!” I groaned in frustration. 

“Phil?” Dan asked, his hand on my shoulder not hindered by the net. I looked up and Dan was looking at me with his eyes dark brown deep enough to get lost in... and I may have stared a bit longer than necessary. 

“Yeah?” I whispered, tilting my head slightly. Dan's face went bright red and he pulled back, stuttering, 

“U-um, w-we n-need to, um, the net, cut it b-bigger, so um... sorry...” Dan looked absolutely adorable as he nervously twiddled his thumbs. 

“I think so, yeah.” I couldn't help but smirk at Dan as he flipped his head back up to me, turning infinitely more red while biting his lower lip. I slid my arm out and grab the pink cutters and start cutting the rope. I glanced over to Dan, smirking still, to see him practically jump a foot before bending over and grabbing the other pair and start cutting with his head down.

  
  


Dan

So, everything was going smoothly, until a large hole was made and Phil got excited and tried getting through. The net caught by his shoulders and he groaned a 'no!' before dropping his head. “Phil?” I asked, putting my hand on his revealed right shoulder. Phil looked up, our faces mere inches from one another. It was silent as I looked into his eyes; they were swirls of blue with green specks like little explosions in his eyes and they were amazing to look out. I wished I had eyes like that, but I only have boring brown eyes like mud, not blue eyes like the sky or green eyes sharp as grass or hazel eyes that glow, no. Guess my luck wasn't too good. 

“Yeah?” Phil whispered, drawing me back to earth with a thud. I drew back, my face glowing red as I stutter, 

“U-um, w-we n-need to, um, the net, cut it b-bigger, so um... sorry..” I looked down at my thumbs which moved as nerves rolled through me and I internally screamed.  You idiot! Don't just stare like that at hot guys, he probably thinks you're a-

“I think so, yeah.” Phil said, once more drawing me back to reality. He was smirking at me and oh fuck he was hot. I bit my lip so I wouldn't say something stupid and my face felt heated and a voice in my head was screaming ' Dan is on fire , blushing weirdo...' Phil then grabbed the scissors I had been using and began cutting again at the circle. He was smirking and I thought  'does this mean... what the hell does it mean? ' Then, Phil looks at me and my face which had just cooled starts heating up so I dive for the other scissors and start cutting, keeping my face down as I cut down to his tail.

Eventually, Phil follows what I'm doing and starts cutting down from the hole to where I'd started over at his midsection where pale skin met deep blue tail. We worked quietly, but at one point the curiosity was too much. “Phil,” I ask tentatively. “How did you get caught like this?” Phil tensed up a bit then sighed and tells me how he was collecting sea shells when a fishing net caught his tail. He stopped cutting as he talked and I slowly stop. He spoke about the flurry of fish fighting the net and escaping, and being swirled in the water by a crazy boat, ending on how he met me. “Maybe you’d need glasses to see...” I replied, staring back at the net. 

“Glasses?” Phil asks. 

“Hold on, I should have a pair of 3D glasses..” I replied as I shuffled through my book bag until I pulled the black frames out. “Glasses are basically like this, but they have lenses inside the frame that let people see.” I looked up at the amazed Phil with dropped jaw. 

“That sounds brilliant!” replied a breathless Phil. “I'd like a pair so I can actually see stuff without it being an inch from my face.” I glance up at Phil who is thinking with his face drawn in concentration. 

“Well you'd have to go to an eye doctor so they can find how strong of glasses you require, and they are expensive...” Phil nodded, still thinking as we continue working at the rope.

I reached the end of Phil's tail and look up at Phil who is nearing where I started. I finish my part and then move over to help Phil cutting, not looking at him as the last part cuts and he pushes the net off his front. “There we go... now how do we get you back to water-” 

“Water? I thought we could do the glasses thing?” Phil interrupted and I stop and look at him. He had pulled his tail to his side in the sand and was brushing sand off. 

“I don't think they'd take kind to the whole mermaid thing, and how would we get there in the first-” 

“Tail thing? You don't- You probably don't... When a mermaid dries for long enough, as I will be in about ten more minutes as long as I don't get more wet. It takes an hour usually to completely dry, but our tails can then change to human legs. My friend Louise left a change of clothes in the cave by the big blue rock...” Phil then began to look around for this mysterious cave. I looked up and saw the blue colored rock further off where the beach and not back areas started separating with the beach being below. 

“There it is” I said nodding to the rock for Phil. 

“There should be a card left for me for buying stuff. My dad set one up when I was young with a small amount. But how...” Phil bit his lip as he trailed off, looking towards the blue rock. That's when I had a brilliant idea, and by brilliant idea, I mean stupid idiotic idea that just slipped out. 

“Maybe I'll carry you over”, I mumbled with a shake of my head. 

“That could work... “ Phil replied, nodding at me and I realized I said it out loud. 

“Really?”, I asked and Phil nodded as I bit my lip. “Okay,” I reply, slipping my backpack onto my back. 

“Um, just bend your tail like- like that, good...” Phil bent his tail where his knees would be if his tail was instead a pair of legs, and I put my right arm under his tail while my left holds his torso. I took to one knee and pushed off with Phil held in my arms,  bit awkward and I did stumble a bit resulting in Phil wrapping his arm around my right shoulder and hiding his head by my neck. “You alright, Phil?” I ask as I see a flush of pink on his neck flourish to his face. 

“Yeah, just... not used to this and the whole gravity change.... I'm fine... cave?” Phil asks, his voice slightly raising in pitch. I then walk slowly to the cave with Phil clinging to me in my arms and I can't help but smile down at him. He looked cute with his face colored pink in his cheeks and his head by my neck, face scrunched up and eyes closed. I bit my lip and focused on walking, turning away from Phil as we went to the cave.

  
  
  


Phil

It was a bit weird, being carried by Dan. He stumbled a bit and I panicked, grabbing his shoulder and burying my head into his neck. I wasn't used to be picked up so I hoped Dan didn't notice. “You alright, Phil?” So he did notice. I felt my face heat up as I stuttered out a reply, 

“Yeah, just... not used to this and the whole gravity change.... I'm fine... cave?” My voice was cracked and squeaky, so I kept my face in the crook of his neck. The rest of the way was quiet while I kept my face scrunched up trying to focus on anything but being off the ground. Instead I focused on Dan. Dan, the human with pink and black cutters who freed me from a net even though he just met me. Dan, who has a dimple on his cheek and eyes of deep brown that you could get lost in. Dan, who thinks and acts differently than what I thought hoo-maines acted like. Dan, who is cute and whom I may have a crush on now...uh oh...

We reach the cave's entrance and Dan wiggles his shoulder by my head. “We're at the cave, do you know where your clothes should be?” I nod as I look up Dan who is nipping and worrying at his bottom lip and turns to me. 

“Pink bag with green fish on it by a rock that looks like a mermaid sized clam ...” Dan looks up and around the cave before nodding to behind me, whispering, 

“Over there. Almost done being carried, Phil, don't worry. Hold on...” he begins moving and I hide my face again. Dan, who is considerate to my fear. Dan, who I definitely have a crush on.

 

Dan

In the cave, I walk in with Phil and gently nudge him with my shoulder and say, “We're at the cave, do you know where your clothes should be?” I bite my bottom lip, trying to ignore the butterflies (more like moths) that stormed around. 

“Pink bag with green fish on it by a rock that looks like a clam mermaid size...” Phil whispers, looking up at me. I look around the room and spot the bright fluorescent pink bag hanging on a stalagmite beside a flat rock oval. I nod at the rock as I lean my head down to Phil's and whisper 

“Over there. Almost done being carried, Phil, don't worry. Hold on...” He hides his face back in my neck as I walk slowly around the hanging stalactites and protruding up stalagmites to the pink bag. I slowly bend beside the flat rock and lower him down, still grasping my shoulder. Phil looks up at me and I look into his eyes that turned green. He pulls his arms from my torso, his face flushed pink as he looks down at his tail. 

“I'll be outside the cave if you need me,” I say as I stand back up, “then we can check out if we can get you glasses, if you still want my help, of course..” he smiles sheepishly as he nods and I turn around and go outside the cave. I sit down by the cave against the blue rock, painted a blue with spray paint with differing amounts. I take my book bag off and pull out my black notebook with my name written on it in silver sharpie. I flip past older drawings to a blank page and begin drawing Phil from memory in black and white in an anime sort of form as I wait. 

“Is that me” Phil says from beside me twenty minutes later roughly. I jumped up, closing the notebook quickly and looking at Phil. My face went red as I looked at the startled Phil blinking and I furiously shake my head. I look down at my feet, mentally willing my face to de-blush as Phil begins to chuckle. 

“Don't we need to go to the bank now.” I stammer before forcing the notebook back into my bag while I kneel before it. 

“Dan-” 

“What?” I snap at Phil like an ass, as I turn back to him and zip the bag close. “Sorry” I murmured as I turn to my bag and put it on. “I'll just go-” 

“What?” Phil interrupts, looking confused and tilts his head. “I'm not mad at you, Dan. I... I thought it was cool, the drawing...” I look up at Phil who is staring at his mismatched flip-flops. That’s when I look at his outfit; one pink and white polka dot flip flop and another purple, khaki shorts and a flowery tourist shirt along a feather boa. 

“Why are you... you don't leave the water much, do you?” Phil looked up at me sheepishly. “Sorry for snapping at you. Most people think it's creepy or stupid when I draw stuff... Come on, we need to stop at my house to get you some proper clothes.” Phil looked confused, 

“What's wrong with this?” nodding down at his absolutely ridiculous attire. 

“Well, the flip-flops don't match in size or pattern...” Phil hummed in confusion “the things on your feet... Nobody really wears boas... the feather thing... and that is what most people call a tourist shirt, meaning 'Hey I'm new and can easily be taken advantage of!' which isn’t a good thing. I should have extra clothes you can use. Follow me, and if you need any help walking, just ask.” 

“Got it!”

We walk to my house and Phil doesn't have that much trouble. He stumbles once while I trip several times and fall on my face, but at least he laughed. We go in and my parents are still out somewhere in town. I lead Phil upstairs to my temporary room which is mostly bare except for around the desk, which was a mess of drawings and my laptop finished charging early! 

“Sweet, my laptops done. Now I just need to find wifi... welcome to my room, Phil.” I turn to Phil looks around the room with jaw dropped. “Phil?” I ask, and Phil shakes out of his daze to look back to me. I walk over to the closet with Phil beside me as I open the door. “My mum wouldn't notice if one or two of my shirts disappear, besides, she is probably going to buy some neon bright colors for me-” I freeze as I look down to see Phil hugging me. Phil pulls back too soon and I feel a bit cold, missing his arms being there and we only just met! I shouldn't be like this! 

“Thank you, Dan.” Phil says as he awkwardly shifts his mismatched flip-flops. 

“Phil, what's your favorite color?” I say as I shift through my shirts. 

“Blue...” I swish around and find a blue shirt with Sonic characters on it. I pass it until I reach my blue shirt with long sleeves and a white yeti at the bottom, poking his head up, which I promptly hand to Phil. “You'll want to roll up the sleeves. Your shorts should be fine, and there should be matching- there.” I pull out a light blue pair of flip-flops out from below and turn to Phil as he is taking off his tourist shirt. I turn back around and hand the flip-flops back which he feels Phil take. “Leave the feather boa on the bed. I'll be downstairs when you're ready... wait. You are wearing pants under your shorts, right?” he waits for a response at the door. 

“Oh, the smaller shorts? Yeah... Should I be?” I feel my face and promptly ignore the voice in my head that says no and reply, 

“Yeah, you should be. We may need to go over a few things before we go on human etiquette...” 

“Here, I'm done now.” Phil replies. I turn around to see Phil wearing my shirt that fit him well, if a bit big. Those moths from earlier swirl once more in my stomach but I swallow it down. I take seat on my bed covered in my black-gray squared duvet from home and pat in front of me. Phil sits and we talk about human-merpeople differences which I'd rather not talk about again. Then, we set out to town together, our first stop being an ATM

 

Phil

Dan leads us into town and we pass some shops until he walks up to a machine in the wall with large red letters that say ‘ATM’, the machine that does the money stuff. I hand Dan the card and let him use it while I look around, until Dan yells, “Bloody hell!” 

“Dan, don't swear, there could be babies-” 

“But look!” Dan whispers as he yanks me to the machine. It was a big number on the screen, the 'pounds on your account'. 

“Is that enough for glasses?” Dan just nodded. 

“I'll find a map and we'll find a place. Tell me if you see- never mind, there's a map stand.” Dan walks across the street and grabs a map and walks back to my side as he opens it. “Ah, follow me, Phil.”

We walk to this strange building with a sign that reads “Optometrist Room 683.” in black print. Dan opens the door and a bell rings from above as he holds the door for me. 

I feel my face start to heat up, and I whisper “Thanks” and enter. At the desk is a lady with black hair in a bun dressed oddly, in a way Dan described as ‘professionally’. 

“Hello, do you offer eye check ups? My friend needs to get his checked. He finally admitted to having blurry vision recently, while on vacation none the less...” The lady smiled and her teeth were all white. She nodded to me and Dan and said 

“Right this way.” She had me first sit in this chair and place my chin on a machine that puffed air in my eyes. “All clear, that's good. Second room, now and I'll meet you inside.” She walked out into the desk area as Dan and I switch to the second room. Inside was a weird chair Dan told me to sit in. 

“You alright, Phil?” I nod and then the doctor, Doctor Hoover, (which made Dan snort when he heard her name), entered. She pushed another machine in front of me and made me read out letters I could and couldn't read, occasionally changing things making it easier or harder. I was rather nervous, but when it got really bad Dan held onto my hand which helped me stay grounded some how. She then wrote a few notes and stepped out. Dan squeezed my hand before letting go, although I kind of wanted it back. 

“Almost done. Okay?” I nod at Dan's question and its silent until Dr. Hoover returns smiling. 

“You're in luck Mr. Lester. Someone else canceled an order with a prescription like yours, but not exactly. Here.” She said as she hands me a pair of black thick framed glasses . I slip the glasses on and everything comes into focus, all these little details present. I look over at Dan and Woah. His brown eyes are wide and I can see two freckles on his cheek and him biting his lip and holy shit is he cute. I turn to Dr. Hoover smiling. 

“They're perfect.” 

I let Dan deal with the paying as I step outside and look at the leaves on a tree across the way and I can see all the little leaves swaying in the breeze. It was so cool to see things clearly. Then, Dan and I go down to a small cafe with the “Wi-Fi” for Dan's laptop and they sit side by side in booth. 

“I have plenty to show you before next Saturday. That's my last day here.” he tells me.

The waitress, a blond girl named Helen, comes over and asks for what we’d like to drink as she hands us menus.  Dan orders two waters for us as I look over the menu. Dan orders a hamburger with chips while I order fish n’ chips when Helen returns with our water. While waiting Dan pulls up what he calls 

“Youtube. It’s a site that has videos, they’re little moving pictures usually that have sounds”. As we eat, Dan puts a ear bud in my ear and plays music for me to learn. It was fun and I didn’t notice until later how much time had passed until the sun started going down. 

Dan then slips his laptop away and heads up to pay while I go outside to wait. 

“Should I walk you there? You'll need my help, anyway.” I nod and we head off in silence.

 

Dan

At the water's edge behind a rock Phil is changing and laying the clothes on the rock for me. We decided that I'd put the clothes back and that we'd hang out again tomorrow, but he had to return home for the night or his friends would panic. Phil popped his head up and said, “See you tomorrow, alright?” and I nod, 

“Although, the glasses?” 

“I'll keep them in the case in my bag. They won't ever know. See ya Dan.” Phil says before pulling back and splashing in the water. I peak out behind the rock and watch as Phil, 'swims into the sunset'. I wait until he's out of sight before I put the clothes and his card back in the pink bag, smiling as I sneak into my room, parents still out. They don't return until a few hours later while I'm watching an old movie. That night I head to sleep, a certain merman swimming through my head.

 

Phil

I swim into my home when the lights are off. I move quietly, but the lights snap on and There is Cat, Louise,Conner, and Tyler all sitting around with crossed arms and questions present. “Where were you, Phil?! We were worried!” Louise asks, swishing her bubblegum-pink tail as she moved towards me. My face turns the color of her tail as I look down. 

“You met a girl?” Connor guesses, a bit surprised and my face turns darker pink. 

“A guy!” Tyler says, swimming up to Phil. “Is he cute?” 

“Tyler!” Louise yells, as she smacks his head. I nod sheepishly. In the morning, we will discuss. 

“Good night, Phil.” I swim towards my room but I stop when Cat says, 

“Don't stay up thinking about this new guy.” 

I wish I could say I followed her advice.


	2. A Day inside learning

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Phil returns to Dan's house and Dan decides its time for some learning for Phil

Dan:  
I awoke to my alarm clock’s obnoxious bleating next to my head and I ran my hands through my curling hair. I slammed one hand upon the alarm from hell, a bit too hard when I heard “That machine is terrifying, Dan…” At the foot of my bed stood Phil, wearing my blue shirt and a terrified look was upon his face. I jumped about a foot from the bed, falling arse-first onto the cold, wooden floor. Yanking the blanket from the bed and covering myself I whisper-yell,   
“Phil!” I was turning fifty shades of pink and red as I hid under my grey blanket and Phil was saying something and then the blanket was tapped. I could see his silhouette through the blanket as he kneeled in front of me.   
“Don’t worry, Daniel, your parents are out… why are you-”   
“not exactly decent Phil… you know-”   
“Oh! You’re not-”   
“only topless, Philly, but my hobbit hair is showing and I have no shirt… “ I could see phil lean back on his heels. “Philly?”   
Oh crud, yeah, I called him Philly. Same as the name I called him in my dreams… that I obviously… oh sod it, I was being a romantic. We’re just friends, besides, I like girls. “Um-”   
“And What is hobbit hair? is that what hoo-mains call curly hair?” I pulled the blanket off of me with a grunt.   
“Hobbits are mythical creatures with curly hair and sturdy hairy feet. While I say nothing upon the later, i admit to being guilty of the former.” I looked at Phil who also had a fading blush, but as I caught eyes, both of us turned red and laughed.   
Phil had an odd laugh, higher than his regular voice and he closed his eyes lightly. As the morning light glowed against his pitch black hair, streaks of auburn came under the reflected light. He looked beauti- he looked alright, I mean not that I care.. yeah, I don’t care, I hate him and his gorgeous eyes… Fuck, I sound like a lovestruck horny teenager which I am not. Well, maybe a bit of the latter- the teenage part not the… oh nevermind.

Phil  
I had snuck out early this morning and gone to Dan’s house as his parents were rambling on about “Dan should get out more…bla bla bla wifi takes forever to install... bla bla bla market exchange” nonsense. I sneaked in through the unlocked door to Dan’s room. For some odd reason, on the inside of his room, there hung a cross bow upon the door. I slipped in, closing the door gently behind me.   
I turn around to see Dan, still asleep, snuggling a pillow of black, blue, and yellow, that looked a bit like a distorted face. His was hair curled, a few strands curling over his cheeks and covering his eyes. I stepped towards him and I could see him smiling into the pillow, his dimple more shallow than when he smiles awake. I gently pushed a brown curl off his cheek away from his eyes, closed gently. He looked beautiful and serene lying curled up with the blanket covering up to his torso… his bare torso…   
I had stood up when a ferocious screech began to emit its torture from a metal box with blurry red boxes upon a black screen. I stumbled back and hid inside the mirrored dresser until I heard a fist slam against whatever was wailing that stopped by Dan’s violence. I sneaked out incase the beast decided to attack but upon further looking, I realized it was a machine creating that awful racket. I looked up at Dan, who had his hands tousling his messy curls across from me And the words slipped out.   
“That machine is terrifying, Dan…” Now, apparently, when I asked to see tomorrow and he nodded, that didn’t mean “meet me at my house” like I had guessed.   
Dan yelped and fell to the floor, and saying in a combination of a yell and a whisper,   
“Phil” I saw his head duck under the bed, his hand coming up upon the bed and yanking his blanket down and over him. I walked slowly towards him as he hid himself below the comforter, and whispered to him about his parents being out, how I misunderstood and then I realized he probably hadn’t hear a darn thing. I tapped the top of his covered head as I took a knee infront of his covered form.   
“Don’t worry, Daniel, your parents are out… why are you-”   
“not exactly decent Phil… you know-”  
“Oh! You’re not-”   
“Only topless, Philly, but my hobbit hair is showing and I have no shirt… “ I sighed in relief, as my face slowly lowered it’s violent redness acquired from… not good thoughts… He could have been naked! stark nude and I snuck in and- I didn’t mean to- naked- naked! and… wait a moment…   
“Philly?” I heard a slight gasp from below the grey patterned blanket, as Dan shifted below it. Plus, the hair thing was bothering me. Dan tried murmured something, but I interrupted.  
“And What is hobbit hair? is that what hoomains call curly hair?” Dan grunted, pulling the blanket roughly from his head, revealing a pink-cheeked, hair tousled, and slightly annoyed Dan below its gray mass.   
“Hobbits are mythical creatures with curly hair and sturdy hairy feet. While I say nothing upon the later, i admit to being guilty of the former.” Dan looked down then gazed back up and we laughed, Dan’s eyes squinting and his dimples. Adorable. “You know, I should probably get a shirt…” Dan eventually said as our loud mirth simmered.

Dan:  
Eventually we stopped laughing, and I said “You know, I should probably get a shirt…” that sent us both to hysterics again, and I ignored the fluttering of the bugs of evil’s brethren ...as I have named butterflies. I pushed myself off the floor, the comforter sliding off my shoulders and I heard a gasp and jumped back. Phil was looking at his feet with his face darkening in red and I realized I must of stepped on his foot. And, like the non-whale dork I am, I stuttered out an apology as I backed right into my nightstand and knocking the alarm clock of death off the stand sending it on a high pitched bleating rampage. I scrambled about to try and stop the bugger screaming from below the bed. I eventually fell to my knees and bent beside the bed to search. After blindly moving my hand around the underneath of the bed, I grasped the alarm then tossed it on the ground, stopping the screeching box of doom’s hissy fit. Sadly, the thing is bloody stupid and indestructible, and believe me I have tried.  
“Sorry about that- stepping on y-your foot and falling like a klutz…” I muttered as I walked, face looking down at my non-hobbit feet, to my dresser. It was already open, since I tried organizing it. Basically, trying to find colorful shirts. I had woken up last night when my phone went off with ‘wifi networks are now availible!, and got online to check tumblr but I couldn’t focus. My mind was too occupied with what tomorrow could bring. I got up and looked for what I should wear, but realized I was being frankly ridiculous. He is just my friend who is… absolutely amazing… and a mermaid. yeah…  
I picked my old orange shirt that was still too big for me… but a perfect… “Here” I say as I toss the shirt behind me to Philly- Phil. Phil. To Phil behind me. Shut up, I know. I pulled out a black and white shirt with a crude message before tossing it into a garbage basket in the corner of my room. I then took out a different shirt and slipped it on over my head.   
“I’ll be a moment, where may the restroom be?” I heard Phil say behind me.   
“Down the hall and on your left.” I replied as I searched for my hair straighteners. I heard Phil slowly walk out as I found the hair straighteners. I sat on the bed and worked at my hair as quickly as I could. I finished and was putting back up the straighteners when I heard Phil return and trip with an “ack!” I jumped around to find Phil sprawled on his stomach into the pile of blanket and pillows from falling of the bed. Phil’s voice was a bit muffled from being, still, face down into my Haru pillow, but I distinctly heard him say “gravity is a meany.”  
I burst out laughing, leaning back against my partially closed dresser as Phil slowly pushed himself up. The orange shirt fit him perfectly, which I admit I was a little proud of myself about that. () He caught my eyes with his and he joined in laughing with me. Still laughing, I turn around and go over to my desk. “Alright, fellow klutz, Come here, if you can.” I heard Phil huff as I turned on my laptop. His footsteps were light and suddenly I felt his head was next to my own. Not touching my shoulder, but just right there. I could feel his breath ghost over my neck. usually I’d freak out at that merest touch upon my neck… but I didn’t. I can’t really explain why but it just… it was just… fine.

Phil:  
When Dan stood up, the blanket fell off him, revealing his chest. I gasped, out loud and Dan thought he stepped on my foot. He didn’t, but he did trip back and set off that devil machine on a tirade of torture. It fell under the bed and he went and bent over infront of me, and I did not know why he wore underwear with the weird pattern (which I later learned was the superman mark), but I knew something... looking at your new friend’s bum is not too good. Not good at all. I kept my face down, looking at my blue flip flops as I heard Dan throw the devil machine on the floor, but it didn’t break (sadly).   
“Sorry about that- stepping on y-your foot and falling like a klutz…” I heard Dan mumble as he moved to his dresser, his face pink. For a moment it was quiet, then Dan said ‘here’ and an orange shirt hit my face. Upon actually looking at it, I saw it had this weird look and had an onomatopoeia of ‘Beeeep!’ () at the bottom in yellow writing in a blue jagged box. I slipped it on, feeling my face still red as it passed the orange cloth.   
“I’ll be a moment, where may the restroom be?” I ask Dan as he gets ready.   
“Down the hall and on your left.” Dan said distractedly.  
I got up and walked slowly out. Found the restroom easily. Light tan door with a sign that said “fuck gender rolls ~Dan” on a blackboard with white typing. I laughed at that a bit, which hoomains call ‘lol’ ing. The room had light blue teal walls with tan cabinets and white stone for the floor and sink. I splashed cold water on my face to cool it off. Fixed my fringe before returning to Dan’s room.   
He was putting up his metal things and his hair was now straightened. I may have been distracted… I tripped and fell into Dan’s mess of pillows and blanket on the floor, face first into the pillow I had seen Dan clutch to his chest in sleep. It smelled nice, which is a frankly weird thing to say.  
“Gravity is a meany.” I mumbled into the pillow. I heard Dan laugh and pushed myself off the pillow to see him smiling deeply. We looked into eachothers eyes and any annoyance I had from falling faded immediately. We laughed and any tension in the room slipped out like magic. Dan went over to his desk, still laughing, and opened up his machine clam that he calls his ‘laptop’, the same from yesterday, and called me over.   
I walked over and bent my head beside his as he striked the keys slower than yesterday. 

Dan:  
“Well, yesterday I showed you some of youtube, but I thought I may introduce you to other aspects of the internet.”   
“the inter-what?” Phil asked with an adorably confused face. I sighed and moved over in my chair for Phil to sit beside me, which he did.  
“Internet, Phil. The internet is this terrifying beautiful web of information of all branches and breeds. It’s a place of insanity, a place of creativity. It’s filled with horrible people in storms so large and yet a few amazing people still bloom through that. The Internet is both the worst and greatest thing to ever exist. Connecting people all over the world, ruining and saving lives, spreading truth and spreading lies, creating miraculous moments and bringing hell too. It, in one word, is the internet. And I will show it to you…”   
I smiled and then I did the most ridiculous thing and started singing. “I can show you the world… take you wonder by wonder… Tell me prin-...” I caught Phil’s face smiling confusedly down at me and I looked back down at my laptop. “sorry thats a um…” and that’s when I got an idea. “You know what. I’ll show you. I have- hold on let me-” I clicked open my files until “ ah! I burned the dvds up- don’t ask yet, I’ll explain that later- so I have my, rather extensive supply of Disney movies along with Netflix at my aid.” I looked over at Phil here to see him looking at me like I’m mad.   
That’s when I smirked at him as I stood up and placed my hand over my right before I recalled my heart is on the left so fixed it. With my goofiest smile, I pronounced, “I, Dan James Howell, swear to show you Disney, at least Aladdin, Winnie the pooh, and The Little Mermaid of course, Doctor Who, and whatever else I can think of. If you are okay with that, of course…” Phil smiled up at me as I looked down at him and he nodded quickly at me. I slipped back into my seat and drew up the files. “Firstly must be Winnie the Pooh, we can start with- there it is. The tigger movie.   
Okay, hold on, let’s do this right. See the space of wall beside my dresser, Phil, with the frankly awful attempts at art? Take them down, but leave the nails, please.”   
“Yes, and don't be so cheeky, Dan.” I looked back from where I had been looking through my closet at Phil who had hands on his hips and an attempt at a serious face that failed with that blooming smile sprawling over his face.   
“Come on Phil, you must admit they’re fucking shit-”   
“Dan!”   
“Don’t be such a wet-blanket, Philly- Phil! Phil, god.” I hid my face in the closet again and purposefully hit my head on the door once. Then again. And again. And again with a light thump.   
“Dan?” Thump “Dan?” Thump “Danny?” I  
stopped at that. I slowly peaked from behind the door at Phil whom had moved to beside the door and was staring at me, biting his bottom lip.   
“You know it wasn’t that bad…”   
“I called you Philly. Again…” I sighed, humiliated in front of someone who could be an actually friend to me and I just had to get a crush. “I’m such a loser” I say as I go to hit my head when I felt someone pull my shoulder back, knocking me back. Guess whose lap I fell back into. Turns out he moves pretty quickly and still looks good at that angle… for a bloke, I mean.

Phil:  
Dan was planning to show me this hoo-main thing called the internet, which sounds terrifying yet brilliant, when he got this ‘look’. He looked inspired, (mostly because he probably was). He turned to me after swearing, albeit a bit goofily with hand-over-heart after a second try,   
“I, Dan James Howell, swear to show you Disney, at least Aladdin, Winnie the pooh, and The little Mermaid, of course, then Doctor Who, and whatever else I can think of. If you are okay with that, of course…” I couldn’t help but stare at him and if it were physically possible, my eyes would take the shape of little hearts. Love-eyed Lester, I guess I must be.  
I nodded and Dan said “See the space of wall beside my dresser, Phil, with the frankly awful attempts at art? Take them down, but leave the nails, please.” Dan said this as I moved to the closet and began to shuffle through for something. I rolled my eyes and followed a bit and replied   
“Yes, and don't be so cheeky, Dan.” He popped his head from behind the closet door near the knob before rolling eyes and returning behind it and searching on, but not without commenting once more.   
“Come on Phil, you must admit they’re fucking shit-”  
“Dan!” I said.   
“Don’t be such a wet-blanket, Philly- Phil! Phil, god.” Dan stopped talking then thump. Thump. Thump. Thump.   
“Dan?” I said as I moved to him. Thump, again. “Dan?” Another thump he was hitting his head on the door. Then, I thought of something that would stop him. “Danny?” That stopped him. He tentatively peeked his head out at me as I kneeled before the door. I crawled beside him, and said “You know it wasn’t that bad…”   
“I called you Philly. Again…” He sighed, his head looking down. “I’m such a loser” he said as he dropped his head. without thinking, I grab his shoulder swiftly and pull him back. A bit too roughly and he fell back into my lap. I look down at him, his face startled and confusedly and utterly adorable. I swear, he is too adorable. That can’t be legal.   
“Hello.” I say, smiling down at Dan who blushes and looks at his knees   
“Hello, Phil.” I shake my head and Dan looks back up at the movement.   
“You know, I think I like Philly better.”  
“I hate you.” Dan said shaking his head and I felt it. My heart felt like it dropped to my stomach and I felt a bit sick.   
“What?” I whispered and he looked up. He gasped and scrambled up.   
“Phil, what's wrong?” I was shaking slightly when I looked into his face, so I looked down at the hardwood floor.   
“You hate me?” I asked, luckily my voice held.   
“No! Not really, no it- its an expression! I don’t hate you, Phil.”

Dan:   
I am an absolute idiot. I said “I hate you” to Phil. Its a weird thing of mine, but I hate you doesn’t mean I hate-hate you. It means that you are idiotic and obnoxious and I’m glad I’m the one you want to show that to. That you may drive me absolutely mental, but I still give a damn about you. More than one, if I’m being honest.   
But Phil took it seriously, like I could actually hate-hate him. Let me go back a bit.   
So, I had fallen into Phil’s lap. I looked up at him, smiling down at me as he said   
“Hello” ‘could he be any cuter’ I thought. Then my face turned red and I looked away as I replied   
“Hello Phil” But I saw him shaking his head, so I looked up and he stopped, and connected eyes with me before smirking and saying,   
“You know, I think I like Philly better.” Then, it slipped out. I guess it could have been worse. I could have said the word that meant the same as that hate, and yet called the opposite by the majority of people. Do I even need to say it?   
“I hate you” I said shaking my head slightly trying to hide my smile that spread, unabashed, across my face. I felt Phil tense and whisper something but I couldn’t decipher what it could be. I looked up and his face. He looked absolutely terrified, like I put a knife at the throat of an innocent looking kitten. I could feel my heart stop and I scrambled up to look around as Phil stared down at his lap.   
“Phil, what’s wrong?” I ask in a shaking whisper. He looked at me and small shivers rolled through him, barely noticeable but still there. He looked back down, the shaking subsiding.   
“You hate me?” He asked quietly but still steadily. I gasped then began   
“No! Not really, no it- its an expression! I don’t hate you, Phil.” I sighed and leaned back against the closet door, rubbing a hand across my face. 

“You don’t actually hate me?” Phil asked, and his voiced cracked.   
“Course not. Why would I hate-hate you. I like-hate you… which probably makes absolutely…. no sense...” I looked up at the weird bumpy white ceiling that mom called ‘popcorn pattern’. “Like, I still like you even if I think you’re being ridiculous…” I look up at Phil after I say this and I see he is looking at me hopefully yet still nervous. “Exactly. Sorry, I guess that's just my thing… not even a human thing.”  
“Wait its human not hoo-main? Why didn’t you tell me!” Phil said laughing and I could feel the tension fall out of me.   
“I like you saying hoo-main, it’s funny!”   
“I hate you Dan.” Phil said, laughing. I didn’t have the heart to tell him that to me, I hate you meant the same as the other three word sentence (which was usually the complete opposite of I hate you).

Phil:  
I laughed with relief, albeit a bit embarrassed for miscalling humans as hoo-mains. Anyway, Dan turned back to look at his closet. he was searching when he looked up and jumped up. “Aha! There you are, you sneaky shit.”   
“Danny!” he froze and turned bright red and you could see it across face and on his ears not hidden under his brown hair. He turned his face to me with the most surprised face, like a kid being caught red handed. He opened his mouth but closed it when no sound could be uttered, and looked down.   
“Hey, now you match your shirt!” He looked down at his red shirt with a set of large eyes on it. And turned even redder.   
“Shut up…” he said, as he reached up and pulled down a box. “Alright, Phil-”   
“Philly.” I interrupted. Dan shook his head smiling. I continued, “Call me Philly. Well, unless we’re in public because from you it's fine and sweet, but other people-”   
“Will be stupid and use it against you.” Dan finished not even looking up. I tried to see his face but his hair had fallen to cover it as he fiddled with this thing inside a box.  
”Yeah…” I replied, looking at him for any response, which he didn’t give. We just kinda stopped there, the room quiet.   
I went to sit at the foot of Dan’s bed, but then I went and made the bed. It was a habit, thanks to my mum. She installed this habit into me that I must make my be, like I crazy robot. “MUST MAKE BED, MONSTER NO LIKE ORGANIZATION!” Any way, Dan was still focused on whatever was in the box, could be anything really. Like a magic clam that grants wishes only if you play patty cake with it for an hour. Or… something else! Turned out to be a machine, another one, with this, “Usb connecter on the bloody bottom, what the-”. (That was Dan who said that, plus an extra word that is not good).  
I had made the bed by the time Dan had pulled the machine out, mumbling about the ‘usb’ thingy and ‘long cords to plug in not like that’, while I looked at Dan’s odd pillow.   
It was this weird human-y looking man with a black fringe and blue eyes with his shirt open. It looked familiar for some reason I couldn’t quite figure out. I didn’t understand why Dan, who usually seemed to go for greys and blacks would have a really bright colored pillow. I gave it a hug and it was rather huggable and smelled like mint shampoo and faintly of what Dan called deodorant upon later questioning. It smelled like Dan.

Dan:  
“Phil, can you get the curtains closed, please? Phil? Philly…” I looked up from setting up the projector, why my dad put it in upside down and with the cords at the bottom, I do not know. But I looked up slowly to see Phil at the foot of my bed staring nonchalant at the ceiling, my haru pillow tossed behind him, and he was whistling. It was like he was trying to look guilty.   
“Philly… what were-”   
“doesn’t-”   
“you do-”   
“the curtains!...” Phil yelled. I may have jumped a bit at that, but it startled me. “You were saying something about curtains… I don’t see any seaweed… or stringed pearls-”   
“What?” I interrupted. I knew Phil was hiding something, but it slipped my mind at seaweed. Then, I got it.   
“In the human world, we have curtains made out of fabric, not seaweed. Here” I pointed my head towards them and walked over to the windows. They fell on the last wall, facing the most beautiful vantage point for the beach, framed by two teal curtains with white stripes. Phil stood on my left at the left of the window, and I was at the right.   
Without even looking outside, we closed the curtains with a bit of struggling and not at all- oh who am I kidding, I fell on my ass being cocky. I was trying to show off to Phil at how ‘easy this is!’ when I lightly pulled, when at about a quarter of the way across it got stuck. I pulled a little rougher. Still stuck! So I yanked it, stepping back and because it was caught under my bloody foot, it moved quickly and I was dropped back on the floor with a ‘whoa-’ Phil was laughing.   
I growled as I slowly got up, which made him laugh a bit more. “You sound like those large, brown, furry things that live in human forests,” I thought for a moment and realized what he was referring to as I finished closing the curtains.   
“Bears?” Phil nodded earnestly.   
“Yes, bears Dan. You’re like a little bear.”   
“A little beasty?” I reply after closing the curtains fully.   
“No, you growl and have brown hair and…” I turned and looked at him, whose face went red at the last bit.   
“and what, Philly?” I said teasingly. Phil perked up at his nickname, and said   
“and you are a little beasty.” I giggled, like the weirdo I am and Phil laughed too. I gestured Phil to my bed while I went and grabbed a white sheet from the linen closet. Hung the top on the three nails left from taking down the paintings. Then I plugged the laptop to the projector, plugged the power cord in and turned it on. Turns out, though, I’m still an idiot and… well...

Phil:   
I was just sitting on the bed when the ‘projector’ decided to shoot me with a beam of light. I scrambled back and did a Dan; I fell off the bed. “Fuck, sorry!” Dan yelled before turning the projector towards the white fabric hanging from the nails on the wall. I felt his arms wrap around my torso and pull me up, back onto the bed. “You alright, Phil?” He asked, sitting us both up and not yet letting go. I nodded and he breathed out a sigh of relief. “Sorry about that…” he said as he rubbed the back of his neck, his other arm at my waist forgotten.   
“It’s fine, Dan. Let's get on to the movies, shall we?” Dan brightened up and turned to his head to the computer and clicked a few things. Then, the light flashed and up popped words on the white sheet.   
“Here, couldn’t get a better screen than this. Let’s start off with Winnie the pooh, a little yellow bear with a voice which a lot of people say I sounded like in my youth, if a posh one, which i think is utter bull… poop…” (I had given Dan a look, that’s why he said poop). “Here is the tigger movie, which is about a Tigger, the only Tigger of existence really, Pooh’s friend. Oh! sorry, forgot about my arm. Here we go.” We layed back against the bed frame and watched the movie then, removing my flip flops and relaxing for a ‘movie’  
About halfway through I looked over at Dan who had fell asleep at my side, head on my shoulder. I put my arm around him and continued watching the movie. It was a sweet movie and I could see a bit of Dan in Winnie the Pooh. My little bear, snoring slightly. I kept watching, and enjoyed it. It was kinda cool how they all became a family, and even though Tigger was different they still liked him. I could relate a bit to that because I hadn’t really fit in in school, but then I found Louise and started making friends and they’ve become like a family for me. Now Dan is becoming a bit of it too. Only two days, yet it feels like longer.  
The movie ended with ‘credits’ rolling at the end. I really liked Christopher Robin, who looks a lot like a pastel-colored dan, and was in it for only like the last ten minutes. Anyway, the movie ended and I had to either wake Dan up or figure out how to play the next movie.So I quietly shifted, trying to slide my arm out but Dan moved closer and tossed his arm around my waist. “My ...Ph...philly” Yep. I think I’ve fallen for my little bear.  
I lifted my left foot as carefully as I could and put my big toe on the little box that Dan used to move the white arrow. I moved it slowly to the box that read Aladdin and clicked it, starting the next movie. I laughed at the genie part when he was singing, “you ain’t never had a friend like me” and accidentally woke Dan. “Hm? What- Oh! sorry…” He moved back and sighed.   
“Aladdin. I used the arrow and um…” Dan looked up.   
“clicked on the file labeled Aladdin?” I nodded and he continued. “The arrow is called a mouse, similar in name to a mall animal, a rodent, that looks barely similar when the actual device is present. I’ll teach you some basic terms later. And next time, just nudge me if I nod off. Okay?”   
“Yeah okay.” I reply. We continue watching, Dan humming along to each song and outright singing the whole new world. Of course he had a ‘sing along edition because my parents got to go to Disney world and bought a bunch of Disney movies and such.’ That was Dan. So, we sang together, he did Aladdin’s part and I did Jasmine’s. It was funny and I felt a bit like Jasmine myself. Someone looking at a new world for a first time with this rather good looking fellow with his weird ways, and falling terribly in love with them. Felt rather awkward when she wore red and kissed Jafar. Good movie, I think. After Aladdin concluded a noise went off.

Dan:   
I had fallen asleep during The Tigger movie and awoke during Aladdin, one arm wrapped around Phil and my head on his shoulder, awakened by his laughter. Not too good, but he didn’t really seem to care. We did a little duet for A Whole New World, which was sweet. But I guess I am a bit of a romantic.  
At the end of the movie, before we could go on, my phone went off. “What was that?” Phil asked, obviously a bit frightened.   
“Just my phone… It's a device or machine that can help communicate and sometimes can get on the internet. Phone call, I’ll be right back, I’m just going to take this in the hall. Stay here.”  
Turns out that my parents got called to work and wouldn’t be back until Wednesday. Since today is Monday, it meant I had three days in the house, alone with the wifi. Also, on Friday I have tickets for the fair, as their way of apology. They do this a lot, I’ve gotten used to it.   
I opened my door to see Phil looking at his feet, wiggling his toes. “Hey Phil?” I asked, and he responded   
“yea?” without even looking up.   
“How do you feel about having a sleepover? Or is that just a human thing…”   
“No! Mermen have them, too. Two kinds, but I think you mean the kid friendly kind, right?” It took a moment to register what he meant and I felt my face begin to match my shirt, my red shirt.   
“Yes, why would-”   
“i mean-”   
“well-”   
“what other-”   
“exactly what I-”   
“ -yeah”   
“Okay. Glad we got that settled. Hungry?”   
“Uh, I could eat… I mean yeah yes.”

 

Phil:   
The kid friendly one? of course the kid friendly- Okay, too much time with Tyler. Speaking of my friends… “Hey Dan?” I asked as we sat at the table, waiting for the pizza that Dan ordered to arrive.   
“Yeah?” he asked, looking up from his phone where he was checking the details.   
“After Lunch, is it okay if I go and tell my friends about the sleep over so they don’t freak or anything?”   
“Of course, Phil. If you want, we could make it a group thing, watching disney movies and making pillow forts.”   
“I think that’d be fantastic”  
After lunch, I went to the beach and after about thirty minutes went back to my friends to ask them about a sleep over.


	3. A Fateful Meeting

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Phil goes and asks his friends, but something happens... suspense-ish...

Phil:  
I swam as quick as I could, quick enough with blurred enough vision to subsequently crash into the bloody door. Well, it wasn’t literally bloody, didn’t hit it that hard, but still. I sat up, rubbing my head at the fresh bruise blossoming on my forehead. “Well that hurt…” I mumble as I pick up the stuff that had spilled from my bag at the crash.  
Then the door opened, hitting me head again, and I sputtered an ‘ack!’ at my attacker.  
“Phil! Get in here, boy, where have you been?” Tyler commanded sassily.  
“Not getting hit by a door” I groaned as I pushed off the stone steps before the place we’re staying at.  
“Is that Phil?” Louise called from the couch and I saw her head pop up from the couch, and she smiled at me, relieved.  
“Where were- woah, what happened to your head?” Connor said, returning from the kitchen with a bowl of seaweed chips. Tyler looked at my forehead with a gasp.  
“Oh…” bad word. “I didn’t do that, did I? Oh my Poseidon, please tell me that wasn’t my fault…” I shook my head, then regretted it as I saw starfish cloud my vision.  
After being moved to the kitchen table and Louise began fixing up the small cut on my forehead (luckily, no blood on the door.), I explained my haste and asked them about the sleepover, and I looked up as Tyler and Connor shared a look.  
“Absolutely not.” Tyler replied, crossing his arms over his torso. “You just met the guy, and now we’re going to stay at his house? Sounds…”  
“A bit fishy?” Connor replied. Tyler just rolled his eyes and smiled.  
“Thanks Connor.” Louise sighed as she swam over after putting the kit up and put her hand on my shoulder.  
“Sorry, Phil, it's just that you haven’t known him for more than a day even… we just don’t want you to get hurt…”  
“I’m not going to get hurt! He’s a good guy and he just wants to hang out, show us…” I paused.  
See, after the whole thing with the princess a while back, we’ve been able to walk on land, if dry at least, but a lot of us don’t, at least not often. Some, and usually very few, do get curious about the surface world and go out of the sea to explore, but few are heard of again. Whether they die or not, I don’t really know.  
My dad went up, bet lost from a coda ball game, for a week. He didn’t even last a week, only three days, before returning home with a black eye and what he called a ‘tad two’ of a dolphin on the small of his back. He said it was considered a cool thing for humans… maybe I’ll ask Dan… But, since most people think the human world is a death trap, or filled with utter chaos and blood-thirsty beasts, telling them that Dan is a human may not go over well. Not only the whole surface thing, they thought I’d be stupid enough to trust a bad person. Dan seems to be a good guy. He helped me yesterday and we watched movies for hours. If he wanted to hurt me, he has wasted many opportunities already….  
“Phil?... Oi, lover boy, still there?” Louise said, her fingers snapping before my eyes, right out of nowhere, knocking away my school of thoughts. “You okay, you kinda spaced off…”  
“I’m fine Louise…” I mumbled, pulling my bag up more on my shoulder.  
“Besides, Phil, we have an adventure to go on in an hour. We’re joining some of Troy’s friends exploring some caves! Cat is out getting more supplies and will meet us there.” Louise exclaimed with a smile. “You shouldn’t have a concussion, so you’ll be free to go!”  
“Wait! What about Dan? I need to tell him-”  
“Phil, we’re going cave exploring! Ignore this guy, we’re only staying here a week! You annoy him, doesn’t matter. You probably aren’t going to see him again- Ow!” Connor howled when Louise hit him in the arm, but it was too late.  
I hadn’t thought about that. Dan lives on land, I live in the sea and after this week ended, I probably would never see him ever again. I sighed and ran a hair through my black hair. “Sorry, Phil, but it's true.” Connor finished lamely.  
“Come on, Romeo, you’ll get over him in no time.” Louise said, patting my back. I huffed breath out, blowing out my hair a bit.  
“Like he did on his crush on Troye…” I mumbled as I gestured my head to the side. Have to admit, it was worth watching them sputter, Louise giggling beside me. An hour later after packing up some more stuff for exploring, we headed out. ‘Sorry Dan’, I thought to myself. ‘I hope this is okay with you.’

Dan:  
After Phil left, I watched a few youtube videos for a couple hours waiting. I still waited, spent three hours on tumblr, then put on Doctor Who for a few more hours, helping myself to more pizza. We got five boxes of pizza and had only gotten through one for lunch. After the seventh episode, I looked outside. By then, it had turned dark outside and I figured that he just wasn’t returning. With a sigh, I went back to my room with my plate of pizza and put it on my desk, returned to tumblr. Around two am I feel asleep, laptop beside me with my plate still full beside it.  
I awoke in the morning to my alarm clock of death blaring. I remembered yesterday and I groaned in frustration. I was annoyed and took it out on the malicious box from hell, throwing it at my door. I wasn't looking but I heard the screech disappear with the sound of metal pieces falling to the floor. My immortal alarm clock burst into pieces against the brown oak door, the loud screeches replaced with the sound of metal pieces hitting wood. Then everything was silent and I fell back in bed, rubbing one hand over my face. I knew my parents would be a bit mad that I broke it, but I really couldn’t bring myself to give a damn about the alarm clock. I fell back asleep after a bit.  
I awoke later when my stomach growled, (yes it was that loud that it woke me up). I waddled downstairs with my blanket wrapped around myself after pushing the remains of what was my alarm clock from in front of the door. It was past noon as I got out some pizza, my laptop loading on the table beside me.  
After a few minutes, I figured out the problem, admittedly it took too long to figure out; it was dead, ran it down by leaving it on all night. So I carried it back to my room and plugged it in to charge. I returned downstairs and put Doctor Who on the tv, but I couldn’t focus. I was thinking of Phil.  
He just left and didn’t come back. I know he didn’t say he would really, but I didn’t think he would. I mean if he had to do something else or they said no, the least he could do was tell me before going and doing whatever he’s doing. It’s called decency. He better have a good excuse for this if he does return. Eventually, I tried to move from that train of thought and eat pizza with Doctor Who. Fell asleep sometime with daleks screaming from the small tv.  
“Dan? You okay?” was what I awoke to at 2 in the morning by my mother gently shaking me from sleep.  
“M fine mum. wuna sweep though.” I heard her chuckle lightly before she whispered,  
“Night, my little bear.” beside my ear.  
“Nite mum. Wuv woo.” I mumbled and I heard her quiet,  
”love you too, Daniel.” before I fell asleep once more. My dreams were confusing, but I remember Phil being there in the beginning but turning into a pizza and flying away. Then, I got hit by a Dalek and woke up to the bright light of the afternoon attacking my tired eyes.  
I just felt so tired, but I couldn’t figure out why exactly. I get like this sometimes, but I’m pretty sure everyone gets their down days too. I untangled myself from my grey blanket and looked around to find a pink note with red hand writing, that had my name, on it propped up on the grey counter top. Mum. She always leaves pink paper notes with loopy red handwriting on it for me when her and dad need to work later than usual. 

The note read:  
Midnight. Don’t wait up, my little bear.  
Sorry to do this again, Daniel.  
The raise did come with its down sides.  
I’m sorry, we love you,  
Mum.  
I sighed as I layed down the note. This long week just seems to get longer and more boring. Not like this isn’t rare, but since the promotion of my parents (they’re a team), it's been almost every day. But usually I’d be at home with good wifi and a refrigerator that always had leftover pizza. Whatever, still better than school. Wednesday and Thursday were spent on Tumblr, Youtube, and Netflix with pizza, which I eventually finished.

Phil:  
Cave exploring was actually kinda boring, especially since I kept thinking about how I left Dan. Friday, I was tired of the cave exploring, but at least we were done for the trip. We went back to where we were staying, from the camp we had for exploring, and I sneaked out onto thw land. Rolling on the ground is quicker than waddling, and dried me off quicker, but left me covered in sand. I got dressed as quick as I could before running to Dan’s house.  
I felt horrible. It was indecent to leave without giving him any answer and I had this guilt trailing behind me, hovering constantly over my head. I ran all the way thinking of how to apologize when I crashed into someone walking, knocking both me and the person down. “Damn, are you trying to kill someone!” I heard the person I knocked over who I had laying on my chest grumble. Yet… that voice.  
“Dan?” I asked the form on my chest. He looked up and I smiled happily “Dan! Oh my Poseidon, I’m sorry, I’m-”  
“It's fine, Phil-”  
“it was rude and horrible-”  
“Phil-”  
“I could understand if you never wanted to talk to me ever again-”  
“Phil, would you stop for one second! It's okay, something came up, right?” I nodded quickly.  
“Right, you will explain that, but I already forgive you so don’t worry. Okay?” Dan was still atop me as I nodded and realized… he was laying ontop of me and our faces are mere inches apart… I felt my face turn bright red as I looked into his eyes. They were deep brown and chased out of light that captured your focus. They were deeper than the ocean and I would happily drown in them. But I was stirred from my staring by Dan’s small gasp as he figured out our predicament. He began to stutter out an apology, pushing off of my chest before offering me a hand. 

Dan:  
I was on my way to the only Starbucks on this bloody island my parents had imprisoned on, when a blur of color crashed into me, turning to land on his back which landed me on their flat chest. I had curled into the stranger to break my fall and grumbled, “Damn, are you trying to kill someone!” I was picking out another set of choice words and gestures for the stranger when they said,  
“Dan?” It was Phil.  
I whipped my head up to see it was indeed Phil, who smiled at me when I caught his eyes with mine. “Dan! Oh my Poseidon, I’m sorry, I’m-”  
“It's fine, Phil-”  
“it was rude and horrible-”  
“Phil-”  
“I could understand if you never wanted to talk to me ever again-”  
“Phil, would you stop for one second!” I finally yelled and Phil stopped, eyes closed. “It's okay, something came up, right?” Phil looked into my eyes and nodded. Of course something came up. Okay.  
“Right, you will explain that, but I already forgive you so don’t worry. Okay?” He nodded again, smiling again. I looked at his eyes, deep blue like the sea in this light and I couldn’t help but smile at him. But, I remembered where i was; I was laying on Phil’s chest, looking into his eyes. I gasped quietly before trying to apologize but I wasn’t able to say anything even moderately coherent, but pushed myself up before offering Phil my hand.  
“I was on my way to go out and eat, care to join me?” I asked as relaxed as I could while pulling Phil up.  
“Sure. I’ll pay.” He said, and I laughed.  
”Sure, you’re still explaining why you disappeared on Monday, though.” He nodded and said,  
“Sorry again. I’ll explain wherever we’ll be going…”  
“Starbucks. “ I replied to the unsaid question. Phil looked at me with a head tilt and I laughed. “Come on.” We walked several blocks, me with my laptop on one shoulder and him with his weird pink bag on his shoulder. We made it and it was at the door when I figured out that something was off. When I had pulled Phil up by the hand, I didn’t let go of his hand. Phil didn’t seem to notice, but I felt my face heat anyway. I dropped his hand and opened the door. “After you, Phil. And welcome to Starbucks.”

Phil:  
After Dan pulled me up, we walked forever, or so it felt, until we reached this green and brown building with a green siren lady in a white circle behind the word ‘Starbucks’ in green block letters. I felt something on my hand but when I looked at Dan, he was holding the door for me. “After you, Phil.” he said with an exaggerated motion at the door way. “And welcome to Starbucks.”  
Oddly enough, the lady behind the counter with a piece of curved metal hanging on her nose, said the same thing when we walked to the counter. I let Dan order our drinks while I went to a booth next to the window. After a while, Dan reappeared with two brown beverages in see through cups with a tan thing around them with the siren in the circle on it. “What is with the siren in the circle?” I asked Dan before taking my first sip. It tasted like mint and vanilla liquidized with some other taste i couldn’t pinpoint, but I liked. I smiled up at Dan who was looking at the siren thing.  
“Its their logo. Didn’t know it was a siren, though. Just thought it was… a green shape of sorts. Never really looked into it much, though. Hey, how bad did she misspell your name? She put ‘Daren’ on mine.” I looked at the tan thing for my name, or the misspelled version.  
“File and then there is a set of numbers behind it… with a note after…‘Just incase you get tired of your BF.’” I handed Dan the cup and after reading it his face turned red. I never did find out why there were numbers or what a ‘BF’ is, but it was okay.

 

Dan:  
“How long do you have to spend on land with me?” I asked Phil as I searched through the computer for a certain file.  
“Until Saturday afternoon. Thats our last day at The Coast Hotel. Then back home.” Phil sighed across from me and I looked up to see him glumly staring at the table. He had told me why he had to raincheck the sleepover, but I could still tell he felt guilty.  
“Well then, tonight we’ll go to the carnival and we’ll have fun. Here.” I turned my laptop to Phil and hopped beside him, bumping his shoulder. “The little Mermaid, Disney’s story of the young princess Ariel. Here, put these in your ears. They’re called earbuds.” I watched as Phil slid them into his ears before putting in my pair. See, my laptop was pretty cool. I could have two earbud pairs plugged in at once and both would work.  
I hit play and leaned back. Its weird that I used to have a crush on the little mermaid, but hey, I thought Eric was good looking, too. Anyway, it was good watching with Phil, although after it, Phil told the real story. The beginning was mostly right, except the talking animals, up to Ursula. According to Phil, Ursula was actually pretty nice, but she had to have justice. She tried to warn Ariel off, but the princess was stubborn and wouldn’t listen. Made the contract and her tail was painfully turned to legs. She screamed so loudly that some thought that Ursula was evil, as many scream in her presence. Ariel was not the the first to fall for a human, just the first princess to do so. Ursula was still working on making it less painful. Anyway, she goes on land, meets with prince and they talk, yadda yadda, but he doesn’t kiss her which was part of the deal and she turns to sea foam. The king, sad that his youngest daughter died, sent a spell with Ursula’s aid through the sea that all mermen and mermaids could go on land if dry, so none would ever have to suffer as Ariel did.  
“Thats pretty grim Phil..”  
“Yeah, I like this version better” he said as he nods at the screen.  
I didn’t explain to Phil about his cup though. I mean, it's like a tradition to misspell the name on the cup. But the number and the assumption that we were dating… I didn’t want to explain or have Phil act differently because of what some girl wrote on his coffee cup.

Phil:  
After lunch, Dan and I went to his house to plan our night out at the carnival. I have to admit I was really excited to go there. We have carnivals underwater too, but they don’t sound nearly half as fun as the surface world ones. According to Dan, they have weird food, rides with lights and music, games where you can win giant stuffed toys, and ‘it can be really fun as long as you don’t blow chunks on a ride or get a headache. then its hellish.” Yes, thats a direct quote from Dan. Anyhow, we got our plans ready and set off on what we were to do before going to carnival.  
I headed back to the cave to find where I had left my glasses, which Dan asked me not to put on until he said so. Don’t know why, but he asked with this big grin on his face that said he had a brilliant plan. Then, we met outside this store called Hot Topic so that I could “... get clothes that will be better for tonight. It’ll get a bit cooler as the night comes in so you’ll need a jacket. Plus, a pair of closed two shoes, cuz the rides and walking kills your feet in flip flops, trust me.”  
I ended up getting a -shirt and a black pair of what Dan called “skinny jeans”, like the pair he had. We took it up to the lady at the register with bright green hair and a tattoo on her arm of a skull wearing green ‘headphones’, according to Dan of course. At the desk, I was like, “Woah, your hair!” and she smiled at me happily.  
“I’ll take that as a complement. What are you gents up to today?” She asked as she began doing… I don’t know, Dan said she was ringing them up, but I just saw her waving the labels attached with plastic over a square with red glowing on it, then putting it into bags of a weird material.  
“We’re just picking up some clothing then heading to the fair in town tonight.” Dan replied. She nodded at Dan with a smile while she ‘rang’ stuff up.  
“Love the fair. Gotta go on the ferris wheel, gents…” I stopped listening as I was distracted as to why to guys in the back were arguing. One had his hair pushed into a tall hair spike on his head, red at the tip but faded to yellow at his head. The other looked average, but had large black glasses and eyeliner, smirking at the other guy.  
“I told you, Blake, we can’t just play that song. You remember last time?” the guy with the spikes said to, apparently, Blake.  
“Yeah, Bartholomew. And it was fucking hilarious watching thirty emos turn to stone, some cried and one had a hand over their heart.” Bartholomew huffed and rolled his eyes before turning to our cashier.  
“Oi, Steph, Blake wants to pull the anthem “ Our cashier Steph handed Dan the two bags before turning and yelling  
“Blake, what the… who brought a kid in here, I can’t swear with- huh. Never mind, but don’t. Bart, I give you permission to stab him with your hair if he tries. Five years…Have a nice day, gents.”  
Dan smiled and said, “My Chemical Romance fan?” She nodded then we left.  
We would go to Dan’s house to change, and then to the fair. That was the plan. I went to the restroom to put on some of the clothes I got. They had these things called socks with red spots, and shoes that were black and white. They go on human feet to keep them from getting hurt. After getting changed, I knocked on Dan’s door. Once I got the muffled, “Come on in, Phil!” I entered and saw Dan fixing his fringe in the mirror. He had on a black shirt with a white circle on it with black skinny jeans. Black was his favorite color, it seemed. He turned to me and gasped.

Dan:  
He looked… woah. He literally took my breath away. It wasn’t really the clothes, although that purple plaid jacket looked good and he did the skinny jeans more justice than I ever would, it wasn’t that. It was his face, or more the personality. He smiled at me in his weird way of sticking out his tongue, his fringe slightly mussed, that just I loved. He wasn’t like normal handsome, but I had to admit; Phil was beautiful like this. Especially when I know that I made him smile. I shook my head, messing my own fringe a bit but knocking my thoughts back on the right track. “Ready?” I asked and Phil nodded at me. And we were off to the fair.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, this was part of the Phandom Big Bang in 2015 and was edited by someone else. I am not gonna finish it that way, but I will do another part to this on my own for closure. New Years resolution to finish all my wips- and maybe put new stuff up too. Wish me luck!


End file.
